To manage web map & web feature services (WMS or WFS)
Map backgrounds provide context for your data. Instead of adding your own background images, if the controller is connected to the Internet, you can use an online map provided by a web map service (WMS). Alternatively, you can request geographical features over the Internet using a web feature service (WFS) and then save the data as a .json file so that you can use it in the field without an Internet connection.
Available web map services depend on your location. To use a web map service, add the WMS and enter the URL you use to retrieve data from the service. Trimble Access saves the configuration information for each WMS in a .wms configuration file in the C:\ProgramData\
When connected to the WMS, you can control the visibility of WMS data (including sublayers) in the Map files tab of the Layer manager screen.
Data from the web map service appears in the map only when the map is in Plan view.
If required, you can use data from more than one WMS at the same time. For example, you may want to view cadastral layers from one WMS and data layers such as roads or land parcels from another.
Connect to a web feature service to load georeferenced vector data in the map and then save the features as a .json file.
Once you have created the WFS file, you can select lines or polylines from the WFS file in the map and stake them. You can also create points at the ends of lines and at all points along a polyline, by selecting the Create nodes (DXF, Shape & LandXML) check box in the Map settings screen. The created points can then be selected for stakeout or Cogo calculations.
When staking WFS data make sure you understand the accuracy of the WFS data provided, and make sure it is in the same coordinate system as the job.
Trimble Access supports the following online feature services:
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Esri Feature Service
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Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Feature Service (WFS) in the following standards:
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OGC WFS 1.1.0
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OGC WFS 2.0.0
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Trimble Access supports feature service data delivered in the following output formats:
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GeoJSON
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GML 2.0
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GML 3.0
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GML 3.2
The following data types are supported for each format:
GeoJSON | GML |
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point, XYZ point | point, XYZ point, multipoint |
linestring, multilinestring | linestring, multilinestring |
polygon, multipolygon | polygon, multipolygon |
curve, multicurve | |
surface (boundary only), multisurface (boundary only) |
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The controller must be connected to the Internet. See Internet connection setup.
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You must know the URL to use for the WMS or WFS.
You can use Trimble Access to connect only to a WFS that does not require you to enter user credentials such as a login name and password. To use data from a WFS that requires authentication, use Trimble SiteVision™ Manager software to connect to it and create a WFS file, and then use that file in Trimble Access. To download SiteVision Manager and install it to your desktop computer, go to the SiteVision website and select Resources / Support.
You can use Trimble Access to connect to any WMS, including those that require user credentials such a login name and password. To access the WMS you will need to use the URL provided by the WMS. The URL provided will include your user login credentials.
Some web map services also require the version to be added as a parameter to the URL. For example: https://examplewms.org/wms?version=1.1.
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The job must use the same coordinate system and zone as the EPSG code you will select for the WMS or WFS.
To find out the EPSG code for the coordinate system and zone you are using, visit the EPSG.io website: epsg.io/.
- Map services are delivered based on your current map location and scale. Before adding the WMS or WFS:
- If there are no points in the job, key in a point with coordinates that match the job coordinate system and that are in a location you would expect to see on the map.
- Zoom the map to a reasonable scale, for example 100m or 1000m works better than 2m or 20,000km.
- Tap in the Map toolbar or the Video toolbar.
- In the Job properties screen, tap the Layer manager button.
- Select the Map files tab.
- Tap WMS/WFS. (In portrait mode, swipe right to left along the row of softkeys to view the WMS/WFS softkey.)
- In the Web map service screen, tap New.
- Enter the Name of the service.
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Enter the URL of the service and tap Enter.
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Wait while the software retrieves information from the web map service. When the software confirms testing of the URL is complete, tap OK.
If the software cannot connect, make sure the URL is correct. If it is, try changing http:// to https:// (or vice versa).
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Configure settings for the selected service:
If the service is a web map service:
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Select the Coordinate system to use. The EPSG code you select must match the coordinate system and zone of the job.
- To make the background more transparent, select a Transparency value greater than 0%.
- Select the Base layer check box if you will use data from more than one WMS in the map and you want data from the selected WMS to be the bottom layer of the map. Data from other WMS services will be displayed on top of this layer.
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Select the Request transparent PNGs check box to request transparent PNG files instead of JPG files from the WMS.
This is useful if you will use data from more than one WMS in the map and you want data from the selected WMS to appear on top of data from another WMS, or if you want higher resolution images from the WMS.
PNG files are larger than JPG files and so will consume more data. Not all WMS services provide transparent PNG files.
If the service is a web feature service:
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In the Bounding box type field, select the format and order of the coordinates used by the bounding box function.
Web feature services using the older OGC WFS 1.1.0 standard commonly required bounding box coordinates in reversed Latitude, Longitude coordinate order.
- The Send bounding box EPSG field determines if the bounding box coordinate EPSG is appended to the bounding box fetch request. Only rarely should this setting need to be adjusted and if you are unsure then leave it set to Yes (default).
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Select the Invert axis order check box to reverse the coordinate order of received feature data.
Web feature services using the OGC WFS standard that serve data in GML format commonly require reversed coordinate order.
- Tap Next.
- Zoom and pan the map to the extents required, and then tap Save to save the features as a .json file. The file is saved to the .wfs Files folder in the <project> folder.
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Tap Accept.
The name of the WMS or WFS you have added is shown in the Map files tab of the Layer manager.
- To make data from the WMS or WFS visible in the map, tap the WMS or WFS name. To show or hide layers from the WMS, tap the arrow next to the layer name and then tap the individual layers to show or hide them.
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To exit the Layer manager and return to the map, tap Accept.
To open the Layer manager, do one of the following:
When displaying WMS data:
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To view data from the WMS in the map you may need to zoom to an appropriate level. Different levels of map detail may be shown at different zoom levels.
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Internet connection issues can affect the display of WMS data. If the map does not show any WMS data, return to the Web map service screen and tap Test to check the software is able to connect to the configured server.